A judge is not going to stop the Chippewa Valley’s hospitals from closing in April.
Chippewa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine asked the judge to stop Sacred Heart Hospital in Eau Claire, and St. Joe’s Hospital in Chippewa Falls from closing until at least July. The judge dismissed that request yesterday. HSHS announced back in January that it will be closing its hospitals because of costs and other ‘industry trends.’ Chippewa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine says they filed the lawsuit to try and get more time for patients in the Chippewa Valley who may be left without care once the hospitals are closed.
Below is the full statement from Chippewa Valley Orthopedics and Sports Medicine:
In Response to the Eau Claire County Court decision to deny Motion for Injunctive Relief
February 27, 2024
“Our lawsuit against HSHS has, from the beginning, been about how HSHS’s decision to abruptly shut down services and exit Western Wisconsin quickly profoundly affects the people of our community – our patients, our neighbors, our friends, and our families. We filed the suit with eyes wide open, knowing that the Court would face a difficult decision, and we appreciate how re- opening all the services and programs HSHS has forced close ahead of the announced closure date may be impractical and financially prohibitive given how HSHS has operated since January 22.
“As a practical matter, we would rather be spending our time and resources helping our patients and the broader community. We stand ready to work collaboratively with HSHS to address our concerns and hope they will accept our invitation to resolve our differences outside of protracted litigation so we can focus our attention on what matters most: caring for our patients.”
Attribution: Austin Crow, MD, Chippewa Valley Orthopedics & Sports Medicine
